I have conducted some case studies and readings on various automakers’ perspectives and positions on electric vehicles (EVs). In my previous article, I extensively discussed Toyota’s approach toward EVs. (If you would like to access my previous articles, please subscribe by clicking on the “Subscribe” button, providing your email address, and then clicking on the red name “Mohd. Azad Jasmi” to access all my past articles).
Today, we will delve into BMW’s stance on EVs, examining their strategic approach and insights.
CEOs of BMW and Bosch warn that the world isn’t ready to go completely electric. Industry giants say that diversification is essential for moving away from petrol and diesel engines and that the world can’t afford to abandon alternative fuels.
Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW, stated to attendees at the BMW Innovation Day event that his company believes “it’s wrong to switch off the combustion engine in Europe” and that Europe is not prepared for a severe reduction in the use of gasoline and diesel engines.
“The business will appear to be unique as far as scale and construction than it does today on the off chance that it goes to only one innovation,” Mr Zipse expressed, as indicated by the German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche.
The comments are in line with those made by Toyota, a Japanese automaker, and Ford, a US automaker. They say that motorists will still need to choose what powers vehicles of the future because not all nations are implementing electric technology at the same rate, and if every vehicle on the planet switched to electric power today, the world’s energy mining resources would be overwhelmed.
With the European Association as of late consenting to a boycott of new petroleum and diesel vehicles from 2035, the BMW supervisor cautioned a cutoff time for prohibiting gas-powered motors “would prompt mutilations that no one here has some control over any longer”.
Regardless of BMW previously starting its carry out of electric vehicles – with its scope of battery-controlled ‘Neue Klasse’ models set to send off in 2025 – the organization is likewise seeking hydrogen energy unit vehicles, an innovation it has been discreetly producing for a considerable length of time.
The company is getting ready to launch the iX5 SUV, which has electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
Mr Zipse stated that hydrogen is “the only raw material that can be sustainably produced and stored” and has benefits for infrastructure, despite BMW’s acceptance of electric powertrains as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
“A traditional fuel station can be converted to hydrogen in two days. The way there is moderately short, dissimilar to with electromobility, where you want associations with the medium-voltage network and you want a charging framework for each vehicle,” he said.
That takes a lot of effort. That will function, but it is not the only option. This will take far too much time. That is the reason we immovably have confidence in hydrogen. I am certain that it will arrive, and that it will arrive at BMW.
Toyota and Hyundai are also working on fuel-cell powertrains, and Bosch announced in June 2022 that it would invest $US1.3 billion ($AU1.9 billion) in hydrogen development and production over the next three years. BMW isn’t the only automaker betting on the need for hydrogen.
This week, Bosch CEO Markus Heyn warned that a switch to a completely electric world would lead to a battery shortage. Bosch is one of the largest parts and technology suppliers in the world to automobile manufacturers.
Mr Heyn stated in an interview with Stuttgarter Nachrichten that the continent is currently experiencing the effects of the widespread use of a single energy source.
He stated, “We haven’t prepared enough alternatives, so we’re just seeing the consequences of the gas shortage for Germany and Europe.”
“In the car business, we ought to inquire as to whether there are insufficient battery cells. Any alternative to battery power would be greatly appreciated by everyone. However, this will not exist unless we prepare it ahead of time.”
It’s almost unnerving how quickly electric powertrains are being implemented. Half of all internal combustion engine-powered (ICE) models have vanished into thin air, being replaced by their newer, shinier electric – or at least electrified – counterparts. It almost feels like Thanos snapped.
Some countries are even planning to outright ban the sale of new ICE cars by 2030, and several automakers whose reputation was built on making engines are switching to electric power. BMW President Oliver Zipse, nonetheless, accepts that the speedy progress and over-reliance on EVs in such a surprising bit of news could be an error.
Talking at a Roundtable meeting in New York went to by Reuters, Zipse expressed that there’s as yet a business opportunity for burning motor vehicles in the worldwide space, adding that the exchanging over to EVs likewise implies expanding our dependence on only a couple of nations on the planet to give the unrefined components expected to construct EVs – especially China, which controls the stock of most natural substances required for lithium-particle batteries.
According to Zipse, “We must be careful when you look at the technology coming out, the EV push, because at the same time, you increase dependence on very few countries.” If someone needs a car but cannot afford an electric vehicle, would you rather suggest that he drive it forever? Someone else will buy combustion engines if you stop selling them.
Image | dailyrevs.com
This isn’t whenever that Zipse first has stood in opposition to a through and through prohibition on ignition motors. In contrast to the majority of its rivals, BMW has not yet announced a date for its first EV switchover, and Zipse himself has even reaffirmed that BMW will continue to develop and offer new combustion engines for many years to come.
Zipse contends that the arrangement as of now, from both a benefit viewpoint and climate point of view, ought to be to offer more eco-friendly burning motor vehicles as opposed to a hard and fast EV surge, pointing at the undeniable holes in charging framework in numerous nations, as well as the greater cost of electric vehicles.
In the upcoming ten years, the internal combustion engine might be extinct. Although there are still a lot of obstacles to overcome, the world appears determined to adopt electric vehicles on a large scale. One of the people who worked on the development of the BMW X5 PHEV, Dr Heinz Treseler, stated in a recent interview with Australian media representatives at the BMW Welt in Munich that the world is not yet ready for widespread adoption of electric vehicles, preferring plug-in hybrids for the time being.
In addition, Leanne Blanckenberg, general manager of BMW Australia’s corporate communications, asserts that there are currently insufficient incentives to support customers’ adoption of EVs:
Blanckenberg stated to WhichCar, “Until the infrastructure and incentives are there to push the customers to buy that technology [EV], we need to have something else to offer.” Although it is a valid point, incentives shouldn’t be the only factor in people purchasing electric vehicles in the first place. They ought to be the finishing touch.
Bosch Alerts Automakers About Betting everything On EV Tech
Car Monster proposes current gas emergency in Europe features the peril of depending too vigorously on one sort of fuel hotspot for vehicles
Germany-based designing goliath Bosch has given an admonition to automakers about tossing tossed every one of their endeavors behind electric vehicles.
EVs, many of which will feature Bosch-provided technical solutions, are accelerating the global car market’s shift toward a future with zero emissions. However, the multinational supplier of auto parts cites the European natural gas shortage as an illustration of the dangers of relying too heavily on a single fuel source.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, natural gas prices in Europe have skyrocketed. The situation has gotten even worse in recent weeks because Russia, which supplies most of Europe with gas, shut down the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. After a brief halt caused by a rumored “malfunction” with the line, Russia’s Gazprom energy company was scheduled to resume gas delivery to Germany. Be that as it may, the firm later reported it was shutting the pipeline endlessly while fixes are done, a move many accept is a reprisal to the G7 nations’ declaration of a cost cap on Russian oil.
According to Bloomberg, Bosch’s head of mobility, Markus Heyn, stated to the Monday edition of the Stuttgarter Zeitung, “We’re currently seeing the consequences of the gas shortage for Germany and Europe because we prepared too few alternatives.” We should use this opportunity in the automotive industry to consider our options in the event of a battery cell shortage.
Based on the statements and information provided by BMW, Bosch, and insights from other car manufacturers, it appears that the global transition towards full electric vehicles (EVs) will require additional time, primarily due to factors such as policies, infrastructure, support systems, and costs. Consequently, it is my belief that a combination of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and potentially other emerging technologies will continue to play a significant role in the automotive landscape.
What’s your opinion on EV?
